Burning Bright
by Alyas-Anne
Summary: In their sixth year at Hogwarts, Draco Malfoy is given a mission that involves Hermione Granger and will ultimately lead everyone that they know and love to a final, deadly reckoning. DM/HG AU.
1. Chapter 1

AN: Welcome to _Burning Bright_. I do not own Harry Potter (no matter how much I wish I did). This story is DM/HG, an AU that takes place during their sixth year. If you have not already, go by and check out my one-shot 'Open Arms', that is a precursor/teaser to this story. Thanks for stopping by, please R&R!

XxXxX

"Look who's here." Hermione sniffed to Harry and Ron. They followed her gaze from the Gryffindor table all of the way to the doors, where Draco Malfoy was making his entrance into the Great Hall, the large Head Boy badge gleaming mockingly on his chest.

"Not that I wanted the position or anything, but bloody hell, he sure looks smug doesn't he?" Ron shook his head.

"I don't know what he has to be so cocky about." Harry mused. "I heard that Lucius barely escaped doing time in Azkaban after the fiasco at the Ministry. They've got to be feeling the pressure."

"You're right though. There is something there." Hermione said with thinly veiled disgust.

For the start of term feast, the Great Hall was decorated with candles that hovered just over the heads of the students. The ceiling, bewitched as always to look like the sky outside, was luminous with crystalline stars that twinkled like diamonds in the approaching twilight. Hermione wished her own thoughts were as clear. Her Head Girl badge felt awkward and heavy on her chest, and she touched it absently. Nobody had been overly surprised when she got her letter and badge over the summer, but Malfoy's selection had been a huge letdown.

Draco Malfoy settled down at the Slytherin table as Albus Dumbledore watched the happy, chattering students for a few more moments before beginning his start of term speech. Only someone watching Dumbledore carefully would be able to detect the almost angry flash in his eyes as he considered that the young Slytherin had probably taken the Dark Mark in the months since Voldemort's appearance at the Ministry of Magic. It was too bad. Dumbledore didn't think that Draco Malfoy was past redemption but he sensed that now it would only come at great personal cost.

His eyes strayed from Draco and settled on Harry for a second. Harry Potter, who just months ago had lost the only father figure he'd ever known, and whose greatest challenge was still to come. Voldemort was gaining strength, and Dumbledore knew that how Harry handled this challenge would determine the future of the world as they knew it.

Unable to savor the temporary peace anymore, Dumbledore cleared his throat and raised his hands for silence. "Good evening to you all! Welcome back to Hogwarts! I hope that you are all refreshed from your journey."

Hermione always listened with rapt attention to Dumbelore's speeches, but this year something distracted her. His right hand. There was something about his right hand.

It was shrunken and black. It looked dead.

There were titters among the students.

"What's wrong with his hand?" Hermione gasped, horrified.

"Dunno." Ron shook his head.

Dumbledore, correctly interpreting the whispers, merely smiled and lowered his injured hand. "Nothing to worry about." He said cheerily. "Welcome back to Hogwarts, and to our new students we are so pleased you are joining us for what will surely be an exciting year of magical education."

"It was like that over the summer." Harry whispered to Hermione. "I saw it when we went to visit Slughorn. He wouldn't talk about it then either."

As if on cue, Dumbledore said, "And we welcome our newest faculty member, Horace Slughorn, who will be taking on the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"Wonder what will take this one out." Ron muttered. "I can't believe there are still people willing to take that job."

Dumbledore beamed at the assembled students. "And now, I invite you to finish your dinner and enjoy a good night's rest!"

Ron turned to Hermione. "I guess we'll see you in the morning, Head Girl. Now that you've got your own fancy dormitory it's just not going to be the same without you barging into our room at all hours of the day."

"Oh, I'll be sure to come in at least once or twice when you're not expecting me." Hermione grinned. "Someone has to finish up your Potions assignments, after all."

"You're an angel, you really are." Ron grinned as Hermione stood up, gathered her things, and headed for her brand new Head Girl dormitory.

From amidst his gang of Slytherins, Draco Malfoy watched Hermione with a glint in his eye. "Excuse me." He told his friends.

He got up and rushed towards the door where Hermione was heading. She was looking in the complete opposite direction and as soon as he got close enough he propelled himself forward and toppled head first into her. She fell back with a yelp onto the Hufflepuff table.

"How about you watch where you're going, Granger?" Draco spat at her. He got back on his feet and smoothed down his shirt. Laughter rang out from his friends.

She stood up and rolled her eyes. "Aren't these stunts a little old by now? What do you want, Malfoy?"

"Just to congratulate my fellow Head. I had such a hard time believing the letter I had to see it for myself. I don't know what it says about the rest of the girls in this school when a frizzy haired Mudblood gets the top spot."

She made a face. "To bad 'the rest of the girls in this school' includes your little friend Parkinson. How does it feel to be dating someone who's second best to a Muggle-born?"

She flounced past him out of the doors.

Draco watched her go, and then returned to the Slytherin table. "Touchy girl." He remarked to Pansy, who was seated to his right.

She giggled. "That was probably the closest she's ever gotten to a boy."

"Now, now, let's not be mean." Draco pretended to chastise her. "It was only a joke."

XxXxX

His skin burned.

It was the middle of the night. Draco's eyes flew open and he hissed in pain as he clutched his left forearm, where the skull was burning jet black.

_I just left yesterday. What could he possibly have to say to me?_

Groaning to himself, he slipped on a white shirt and black pants before grabbing his wand and his infamous Hand of Glory.

It was really bloody difficult getting in and out of Hogwarts unnoticed, but after six years Draco had gotten quite good at it. He stole out of his new Head Boy dormitory and down to the one-eyed witch statue. After muttering _"Dissendium"_ he slipped into the secret passage and out of the castle.

Quiet as a snake he slid up into Honeyduke's in Hogsmeade and out of the front door, and as soon as he hit the street he Disapparated. When he opened his eyes, he was surprised to find himself in his father's study at Malfoy Manor.

With a jolt, he also realized that he, his father Lucius, and Lord Voldemort were the only people there.

Lucius' eyes warned Draco that something was amiss. They both dropped to one knee in front of the Dark Lord. For a moment all Voldemort did was study the two of them. Then he motioned for Draco to rise. Draco did so, but still he didn't make a sound.

The silence stretched. Draco had the uncomfortable feeling that he was being appraised, like a jewel for sale.

"My Lord?" Lucius Malfoy dared to speak.

"Your son is quite charming." The Dark Lord said after several more moments of silence.

Draco felt a shock go through him. Whatever he was expecting, it wasn't that. "Sir?" he ventured.

"I had a revelation today." Voldemort continued. He turned to the younger Malfoy. "Harry Potter, as we have always known, is nothing special. He relies on those around him to keep him strong, and he will do anything to protect them. He proved that when he believed Sirius Black to be in danger. That is his weakness.

"So Draco, you are in his year at school and you are physically closest to him. I want you to break him. I want you to break him by removing those around him that he loves the most. And you will start with the Mudblood. I want you to seduce her."

At that, Draco choked. "…Excuse me?"

"You heard me." Voldemort said coldly. "Seduce her. Make her fall in love with you."

"Sir." Draco said desperately, trying to grasp onto the situation. "Would it not be easier to just hand her over to the Death Eaters?"

"Easier, yes. But as effective? If Granger were to die now, Potter would believe her eternally loyal to him. But if you manage to turn her away from him, if he believed she preferred you to him, it would destroy him. It would weaken him to where it would be easy to strike. And you will do this by the end of the term, because I have in mind a plan that will strike the Order at its very core, and it is essential that Potter be preoccupied. You will do this, Draco, or the Malfoy line will end."

XxXxX

Hermione checked and double-checked her schedule before packing her shoulder bag and stepping out of her dormitory. She was a few minutes early for breakfast but she had been engrossed in _Advanced Numerology_ the night before, and she wanted to squeeze in a bit more reading before her friends got there.

But when Harry and Ron sat down with Ginny in tow, she was amazed to see that Ron did not have any books with him. As a matter of fact, he didn't have anything with him at all. "You do realize we have class today, right?" She asked him.

Ron looked uncomfortable. He looked at Harry and Harry shook his head. "I'm not telling her. You're on your own for this one."

"Tell me what?" Hermione asked suspiciously.

"Erm, well, I got an owl from Charlie last night." Ron said. "Turns out I'm off to Romania for the term."

"Romania!" Hermione echoed skeptically. "How? Why? What about school?"

"Well, over the summer Dad was telling us about this old exchange program that Hogwarts used to take part in." Ron explained. "They used to let students take a time off from school and go study somewhere else…kind of like a Muggle foreign exchange program. But students lost interest over the years because nobody ever wanted to leave Hogwarts. But they never really got rid of the program, it's just been kind of sitting there…

"Anyways, Charlie was home over the summer and I mentioned maybe studying dragons with him this term. Dad talked to Dumbledore and Charlie pulled some strings and now I just have to go finalize some stuff with Dumbledore and I'm off!"

"So that's what I caught you guys muttering about over the summer!" Ginny said indignantly. "Never thought I might be interested in going, did you?"

"Well, you can't. You haven't taken your OWLS yet." Ron's ears turned pink. "I didn't say anything because…well…I knew Hermione would never go for missing an entire term of school and Harry's got too much to do with You-Know-Who. Besides, I didn't really think it'd work. Bit of a long shot, you know?"

A bit of stunned silence followed Ron's speech. Hermione blinked. "Well, good for you! I think it's great to get out and see some other parts of the Wizarding world. I never did get to visit Viktor in Bulgaria…"

"Anyways," Ron interrupted. "I should be heading back home tomorrow morning and out to Romania by the end of the week. Try not to miss me too much, will you?"

"I can't make any promises. I've got this Head Girl business and all. Harry will probably cry himself to sleep every night while you're gone though." Hermione smirked.

"Only for the first week or two. Congratulations, Ron. I really am jealous." Harry poked Hermione in the arm good-naturedly.

Hermione stood up. "Well, we normal students have classes to get to. Did you suck it up and sign up for Potions, Harry? Or are you leaving me to Snape all by myself this year?"

Harry made a face. "I'm taking it. I didn't quite get the 'Outstanding' O.W.L that Snape wanted, but I think McGonagall had a little word with him so I still got into the class. I can only imagine how Snape's going to make me pay for it."

"And to top it all off, we're still with the Slytherins." Hermione reminded him. "Six straight years of it."

"That is one thing I won't miss." Ron said. "I'm actually supposed to be going to see Dumbledore now so I can finalize all of the details. I'll be sure to come see you before I leave, alright?"

Although the comment was directed at the table as a whole, it was Hermione that he looked at, and she felt herself blush.

She watched Ron go, bemused. "You know, I think this will be good for him. He needs to get out and do something for himself, without all of his brothers breathing down his neck."

Harry nodded. "He's really excited. I think the only reason he was a little hesitant to go is because he was afraid of what you would think."

Hermione was bewildered. "Me? Why?"

"No reason." Harry said evasively. "Are you ready for Potions?"

Hermione made a face. "I'm never ready for Potions."

XxXxX

To Hermione, the assignment that Snape was outlining to their class didn't seem that terrible. They had to perfect the four potions that they would be expected to create for their end of term exam: Felix Felicis, Veritaserum, Amortentia, and the Polyjuice Potion. She heard Harry snicker at the last potion.

But then Snape decided to drop a bomb: "You will be responsible for a five foot long parchment on each potion detailing the significance of the ingredients and the effects of the potion."

"He's barking." Harry whispered, aghast. "How are we supposed to do that with all of the other work McGonagall already assigned us?"

"Since when do you actually finish all of your homework, anyways?" Hermione whispered back.

Snape wasn't done. "As it has been brought to my attention that you do take classes in this castle other than my own, you will work with a partner to get this assignment done. I will, of course, be assigning them for you."

He began moving down the lines of students, a piece of parchment hovered behind him recording the list of partners. He paused at the two of them.

Hermione moved immediately towards Harry.

Snape's lip curled. "I don't think so. Potter, you'll partner with Crabbe. Granger…I think you will partner with Mr. Malfoy."

She gaped, but no sound came out. Malfoy looked strained for a second, but to Hermione's surprise he didn't vocalize his objections. Instead he said quite amicably, "Of course, Professor."

Harry looked at her. "Hermione…"

"It's fine." She said firmly. "It's just Malfoy. He's nothing but talk."

"We can go talk to Dumbledore. We all know Malfoy has connections to Death Eaters, surely he can do something…"

"_No_. The last thing I want is for Malfoy to think I'm scared of him or something. He won't try anything while he's at school." She smiled softly. "It'll be alright."

Snape surveyed the class. His task done, he flicked his wand and the parchment with the pairs written on it rolled up neatly and flew to the front of the classroom.

"Class dismissed."

Although Draco had guessed at what Snape was going to do, that didn't make him any more thrilled when he heard his name called. He was still trying to wrap his mind around this little task that Voldemort had assigned him. Seduce Granger? How was that even possible? They couldn't hold a conversation for longer than a minute without having their wands at each others' throats. He couldn't just start being _nice_ to her, let alone try to pull her into a broom closet or anything.

He thrust his books into his bag and quickly headed for the door, not wanting to deal with her just yet. She beat him there. "Malfoy." She said curtly.

"Granger." He replied just as coolly. "You're in my way." He tried to maneuver around her, but she blocked his way.

"You're going to have to deal with me at some point. Like it or not we're stuck together until December, you can't avoid me forever."

At that he laughed. "Avoid? You're assuming that I take the time to think about you enough to ignore you."

She felt her face turning red. "You're pathetic."

"So what's our plan? I'm assuming you already have one and I'm just going to be tagging along, so if you don't mind sharing it with me…"

"Malfoy." She sounded a little more serious. Her eyes flew past him to the group of Slytherins behind him watching their every move. "Not here, okay?"

He rolled his eyes. "Alright. When would be convenient for you, then?"

His sarcasm wasn't lost on Hermione, but she chose to ignore it. "I don't know, some other time when we're not surrounded by all of your little minions. I've got advanced Herbology later. I can talk on my way there."

"I guess I'd better get used to being on your schedule. At least if we're outside, your Mudblood stench won't be so bad." He smirked.

She gaped at him. " You're a _jerk_!"

"Yeah well, you're a pretentious bitch." He smiled sweetly.

"Go to hell." She hissed and she abruptly turned and left the dungeons. He sighed. It was going to be a long year.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Welcome to Chapter 2. I hope that you like my story so far. I think that usually my chapters won't be quite as long as the first one, but I wanted to go ahead and set the scenario. I also like to try to respond to my reviewers, so if you don't care to read those, just skip ahead to the chapter.

**Ramyfan**: I don't want to spill too much about Ron/Hermione's relationship, but I will say that although I love them getting together in JKR's novel, it has never really worked for me as a writer, so he just had to go for now. Ha.

XxXxX

Although it was only September, the evenings were already getting cool so Hermione grabbed her crimson and gold Gryffindor scarf and tied it loosely around her neck before leaving her dormitory to head to the greenhouses.

She saw Malfoy's blonde hair down at the bridge as soon as she exited the castle. She noted with amusement that he was wearing his green and silver Slytherin scarf and she could only imagine the stir that their cooperation was going to cause.

Slytherins and Gryffindors. Complete opposites and yet way too similar for comfort. Clever. Powerful. It was probably a good thing that they did not mix, because together their might would be something terrible to behold.

Hermione shook herself.

_It's just Head business_. She told herself. _That and Potions, which should count as its own form of torture, especially in these circumstances._

He turned before she got there as though guided by some sixth sense. When the expected snide comment didn't come from either party, the two began walking silently down to the greenhouses.

She obviously wasn't going to start, so he cleared his throat. "Look Granger, I…"

"Let's get one thing straight." She interrupted him. "I'm not any happier about this than you are..."

"And we're off to a great start." He interrupted her, rolling his eyes.

"…but I'm willing to stop feuding if you are." She finished.

"Feuding? We're not feuding, Granger. You're not even worth my time, really. I know you'd rather be working with your precious Potter, but we can't all get what we want." Draco drawled.

"You're only angry because Harry's beaten your boss how many times now?" Hermione huffed.

Draco calmly raised an eyebrow. "Careful, Granger. I wouldn't go around making accusations like that. You never know where it might get you."

She crossed her arms. "Is that a threat?"

Draco pretended to consider. "No, I suppose not. Because believe me, Granger. If I really wanted to threaten you, you'd know it."

Hermione felt suddenly claustrophobic. "If all you're going to do is belittle me…"

"…you'll know that we're still on the same terms that we've always been. But since Snape stuck us together, do you want to get started on this thing tomorrow night? My vote is for the library. I'd invite you to my dormitory but I don't want you touching anything in my room, plus people might get the wrong idea. Wouldn't want Potter getting jealous, would we?"

"Harry and I are NOT together." Hermione said hotly.

"Weasley, then. Although even I think you can do a lot better than him."

The greenhouses suddenly loomed in front of them. Hermione was fuming but in one delicious moment she found the perfect way to end her little meeting with Malfoy. "Thank you so much for walking me to class, Malfoy. It was so sweet of you."

She made sure she had the biggest smile possible on her face.

But Malfoy, instead of making some cruel and cutting comment, smiled as well. "No problem, Granger. Remember, in the library tomorrow, I'd say around eight."

As she walked into advanced Herbology, Hermione couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched. Right before she got out of sight, she turned around.

Draco Malfoy was watching her intensely.

XxXxX

Severus Snape shivered with something akin to revulsion as he stepped into Dumbledore's office. If there was one thing he had learned over the years, dealing with Dumbledore was a double-edged sword. More than once he'd thought back to that night he'd come to Dumbledore pleading for Lily Evans' life. Considering Lily had died anyways, Snape found himself wondering not for the first time if he'd made a mistake.

Dumbledore wasn't at his desk, and Snape couldn't see him anywhere, but he knew better. It was almost like he sensed the older man's presence. "Professor?" He called.

"I'll be with you in a moment, Severus." Dumbledore's disembodied voice called out from up above.

There was a cacophony of rustling books and crashing instruments as Dumbledore made his way down while Snape walked over to Dumbledore's desk to wait. It was littered with books and vials, and in the right corner was an object that made Snape flinch.

"I would have thought you'd get rid of this." He said distastefully, pointing at the remnants of Marvolo Gaunt's ring with his wand.

Dumbledore winced as he sat down at the desk. "I keep it as a reminder...of what happens when you become too greedy. How long did you say that I have?"

"Perhaps eight months before you begin to feel the effects. The enchantment I placed on your hand is strong, but it can only contain the curse for so long."

For a moment Dumbledore looked impossibly old. He looked down at the items assembled on his desk: the ring, Tom Riddle's destroyed diary, a battered copy of _Secrets of the Darkest Art_, and several vials of memories. "The answer is here, Severus. I know it is. I feel like I'm getting so close, but someone must be ready to continue when I'm gone."

"Sir, is it really necessary to start talking like that already? Don't you think things are dreary enough already?"

And in that instant Dumbledore perked back up. "You're right, Severus. Which is why I will be spending these last few months making the necessary arrangements for when I am gone. You andHarry, of course, will need some extra preparation. But the reason I have called you here, Severus, is because if Draco Malfoy."

Snape raised his eyebrows. "Draco? What does he have to do with anything?"

Dumbledore heaved a sigh. "Everything, I am afraid. You are aware of the mission that Lord Voldemort has given him concerning Hermione Granger."

"Yes, and I put them together just like you requested, although I don't understand why…"

"For all intents and purposes, Draco must appear to be fulfilling Voldemorts' demand, but I don't believe that he is truly capable of committing such an atrocity. Nevertheless, Severus, you must keep an eye on the two of them. I am sure that Miss. Granger can hold her own against Draco, but you must be there to prevent them both from falling into darkness. It is too soon to say for sure, but I have a feeling that the two of them may be just as important as Harry in undoing the evil that Voldemort has visited upon this world."

XxXxX

The next morning, Pansy had been talking to him for a good ten minutes, and Draco hadn't heard a word that she'd said.

He was busy watching the Gryffindor table. Specifically, he was watching Hermione.

In six years he'd never cared enough to try and figure out Hermione's relationship with Harry and Ron. They'd been thick ever since they started at Hogwarts, but other than Viktor Krum in their fourth year she'd never really dated anyone. Nobody at Hogwarts was that stupid; Harry and Ron were so protective of her that anyone who dared to date her would inevitably incur their wrath. She was their golden girl. She was untouchable. But did she have feelings for one of them?

He didn't think there was anything between her and Harry. Physically, they were comfortable with each other. They touched each other without thinking about it, but never in an intimate way. And they always seemed to know what the other was thinking. But if Draco had to bet, he would guess that there was nothing going on between her and Harry. Ron, however…

Even Draco had noticed how much the two of them bickered over the years. Now that they were older that bickering was turning into something different. He still didn't think Hermione was interested, but Weasley…

Good thing Ron had boarded the train for home that morning. He'd hate to have to hex the idiot.

"Draco?" Pansy interrupted his musings. "Have you been listening to a word I said?"

"Of course." Draco turned his head and gave his most charming smile, bringing his thoughts back to the Slytherin table.

"Do you think I should go for it, then?" She asked him. She picked at her nails as she spoke. It was an annoying habit, one that always gave away when she was nervous or lying.

"Zabini? Go for it. You guys will be good together."

"Are you sure? I mean, I don't want things to be weird or anything…"

Draco cut her off with a casual wave of his hand. "Pansy, I don't really care who you date. You and I had a good run of it but we're Slytherins first and we will always be loyal to each other."

The other Slytherins at the table exchanged quick glances, each proud to be part of this selective group, this group of Purebloods who would attain the highest power and status once Voldemort's dominion was complete. And while they had no leader, Draco Malfoy was undeniably the richest, the most influential, and the most prominent amongst them. They all deferred to him.

Pansy looked relieved. "Thanks, Draco."

Relieved to be through with that particular conversation, Draco stood up. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a date to keep in the library."

"Well, don't let us keep you." Avery said with a wiggle of his eyebrows. "If I had to deal with that bushy haired freak I'd be running in the opposite direction."

"That is the difference between you and me." Draco said in a pleasant voice. Hidden under the pleasantness though was a warning. He kept his face perfectly civil, but something flashed in his eyes and to his satisfaction, Avery was the one that looked away first.

XxXxX

"Granger." Draco inclined his head to her as she entered their study room. He lay stretched out like a cat across a big squishy armchair with a large leather bound book spread across his lap. She threw her bag across the table, irritated that he made her feel late. "I was beginning to think you'd backed out on me."

"I just stopped to pick up a few things. I didn't know how prepared you were going to be." She said shortly.

"Always the overachiever. Shall we?"

Without really knowing what else to say to each other, the two pored over their respective books. The silence began to stretch on rather awkwardly. Hermione found herself becoming acutely aware of every little sound. The log crackling in the fireplace. The shouts of some students out enjoying a last minute walk. Malfoy licking his lips and turning a page…

"Felix Felicis." She said out loud, shaking herself of her reverie. "Also known as liquid luck. Extremely tricky to brew, makes the drinker lucky for a brief period of time. Can cause giddiness, recklessness, and dangerous overconfidence if taken in excess…"

"Spare me." Draco said lazily. "I know what Felix Felicis is."

"I'm just trying to think." She said huffily. "I don't hear you saying anything."

"How about this? This assignment is so boring I feel like I'm back feeding lettuce to Hagrid's stupid flobberworms. How about we raise the stakes a little bit?" His eyes flashed mischievously.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked cautiously.

"We're clearly the two brightest people in this school, it's next to nothing for either of us to write these essays. So let's take it a step further. Let's try the potions as we make them."

Hermione's eyes widened. "Try them? Are you crazy? These are tricky potions you're talking about. What if we did something wrong? We could end up in the hospital wing for a month!"

"Please. I could brew these in my sleep. So could you. Unless you're scared." Draco said slyly.

If there was one thing Hermione hated, it was backing down from a challenge. "You're on, Malfoy. But I don't want to hear you whining to your little girlfriend when I prove to be a better potioneer than you."

"Why are you so hung up on Pansy? We're not together, you know. I don't do girlfriends."

She snorted. "You don't do girlfriends? How many girls have you slept with in this castle?"

"Well." Draco said wickedly. "Girlfriend and sleeping together are two different things. Yes, Pansy and I have slept together. But that was months ago and like I said, monogamy's not really my thing. I'm not like you and Potter. Or is it you and Weasley? The way you three are always together, you're probably shagging both of them at the same time, is that right?"

Hermione was livid. "I am not shagging ANYONE!"

Draco shrugged. "Whatever you say, although I can't imagine why any guy would put up with you for so long without getting a little something out of it."

In one fluid motion Hermione had stood up and was violently shoving all of her things back into her pack. Draco still lay languidly in his armchair looking cool and completely serious.

"I hate you, Malfoy." She said viciously. "You're pathetic, you're vile, and you're cruel. And the worst part is that you don't even care."

The door slammed behind her. Draco exhaled softly.

_That could have gone a little better._

XxXxX

Severus Snape stepped into Dumbledore's office with a shiver of revulsion. It seemed like every time he came to see the Headmaster something bad had happened, or Snape was going to have to

"Why is that thing still here?" Snape asked as Dumbledore climbed down and sat down at his desk. "I'd have thought you'd throw it away as soon as you could

Dumbledore winced. "I keep it as a reminder…of what can happen when you


End file.
